The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a plastic latch pivotally assembled thereto. The electrical connector further includes a grounding device for establishing a grounding path with a receptacle in which the electrical connector is mated.
Electrical connector with latches is widely used between plug and receptacle connectors to ensure reliable electrical connection therebetween. However, in some circumstance, such as when the plug is made from die-cast, a grounding path is required between the plug and the receptacle.
One of the approaches is to provide a metal latch which functions engagement as well as grounding. However, it is preferable to perform the engagement and grounding between the plug and receptacle separately.
FIG. 6 disclose an approach suggested by Small Form Factor Committee on the HSSDC-2, SFF-8421, Page 17, which is currently attached for reference.
However, the current design of the latch may experience a permanent deformation and which will be detailed described as below. As shown in FIG. 6, both ends of the latch are securely attached to a housing of the plug. As a result, the latch is exposed to axial compression force which inherits an elastic instability. Accordingly, a deformation which exceeds the elastic instability will become a permanent deformation and will not resume to its original position.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when both ends 901, 902 of the latch 900 are securely attached to the housing 910, axial compression forces 960 are applied to the latch once the latch is applied with a traversal force. Line 920 represents the elastic instability inherited in the prior art model.
In order to provide a locking effect, the latch 900 is provided with a knee 903 which is normally depressed by a user to release the latch 900 from its corresponding receptacle. Apparently, during the unlatching movement of the latch 900, the knee 903 will be depressed completely to ensure a completely unlatch from the receptacle. If the knee 903 is depressed completely, the latch 900 would experience 1) a complete deformation when the knee 903 buckles the elastic instability line 920; and 2) the knee 903 will be suffered from a reverse force.
In the first situation, once the knee 903 is buckled and trapped to its permanent deformation, the latch 900 becomes useless and it cannot be locked to its corresponding receptacle and this will create a great problem because the electrical connection between the plug and receptacle connectors can no longer be ensured.
In the second situation, as stated before, if an upper surface of the knee 903 is exposed with tension force (FIG. 7), then after the knee 903 exceeds line 920, elastic instability line, the upper surface of the knee 903xe2x80x2 will be exposed to a compression force (lower one of FIG. 8). Accordingly, after a period of cycle, the latch 900 will be broken right at the knee 903.
In addition, during the downward movement of the latch, an end 901 of the latch 900 will be twisted such that an unwanted force is generated between the engagement between the latch 900 and a retaining bud 911 of the housing 910. This repeated movement will finally separate the first end 901 of the latch 900 from the retaining bud 911 of the housing 910.
On the other hand, even cantilever latch has been widely know to the skill in the art, a free end of the latch may easily flip over when exposed excess upward force. Accordingly, there is still room for providing a reliable latch.
An objective of this invention is to provide an electrical connector having a latch which is free from axial compression force thereby eliminating potential permanent deformation resulted from elastic instability resulted from axial compression force.
In order to achieve the objective set forth, an electrical connector in according to the present invention includes a lower half having a first end thereof. An upper half is assembled to the lower half. A latch is pivotally assembled to the upper and lower halves and having a free end extending rearward. A bracket is attached to the upper half for limiting upward movement of the free end of the latch.